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The Pool

The Pool is an interactive light sculpture that creates magic in public spaces by bringing together art, technology, and participation. Consisting of hundreds of circular pads arranged in concentric circles, The Pool invites people to walk, run, jump, and dance on the pads to cause ripples of changing light.

2. Watch the video again, asking the students to take notes about what they see people of different ages doing. Ask them to jot down words and phrases that describe the different responses. Have students meet in small groups and share their observations. Ask them to discuss these questions:

Lewin identifies two goals for The Pool.

a. People will experience a sense of wonder.

b. People will interact with the sculpture and with one another.

What evidence do they see that she accomplished her goals? What elements of the sculpture helped her to achieve the goals?

Ask students to work individually or with partners to write a critique of the sculpture. Remind them that a critique should include these four components (adapted to suit your grade level and class):

a. A description of the artwork with the artist name, title, size, and media of the sculpture. A description of how the elements of the art form (shape, light, color, motion, interactivity) are used to create a mood.

b. A description of how the elements are organized (repetition, movement, rhythm, contrast, overall emotional quality, unique qualities of the work).

c. An interpretation of the intent of the artwork and its inspiration.

d. An evaluation of how well the work expressed the intent of the artist.

Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.

Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.

Anchor Standard 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.

3. Ask students to consider something that they have seen or experienced that was truly inspirational to them. Ask them to imagine and describe an interactive public artwork they would like to create that would share the essence of the experience with others. Ask them to include a description of existing or imagined technology they would incorporate. You can ask them to share their ideas through writing or a multimedia presentation.

4. Ask students to consider something that they have seen or experienced that was truly inspirational to them. Ask them to create something in any medium they choose (art, music, dance, media, drama, creative writing) to express the essence of the experience.

Students visit the Exploratorium in San Francisco, where they learn about light. They conduct experiments and create colorful light art projects.

Discuss the portion of the video where Emma describes how they work together as a team. Visit the website of Jen Lewin Studio and open the page that describes the responsibilities of each team member. Ask students to discuss the advantages and challenges of collaboration.

Ask students to work in teams and determine how they could use one of the qualities of light described in the Light and Color video to create an artwork that includes an interactive light experience. Ask them to describe the artwork, identify the mood they would create, and explain the way that people would interact with the light. Ask them to create a multimedia presentation to present their idea.

Extension: Allow time for feedback and discussion. Include a discussion of whether or not the idea could be created using existing technology and whether or not it could be created using materials and resources that are accessible to your class.

Extension: Select one or more of the ideas that seem like they might be feasible for your students to create. Have students develop a plan for creating the artwork. If possible and time permits, give them time to create an interactive light artwork. Remember that not all ideas work out and allow teams to present a description of their efforts and lesson learned if their project is not successful.

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.

6. Read this section of the essay to students: Lewin feels that society is changing. More and more, people are connecting to information and connecting to one another. Her concept of public art is art that allows that connection to expand into the built environment. Her goal is to create art that allows people to collectively change public spaces.

Ask students to research interactive public art. They can access the videos in KET’s BLINK series or other web-based resources. Ask them to work individually or in small groups to create a presentation about an interactive public artwork and explain how this artwork reflects the changes Lewin identifies. The Digital Storyboard Tool on PBS LearningMedia might be useful for this assignment.

Jen Lewin’s The Pool reflects a shift in the way that art can change the dynamics of public spaces. Lewin and her team have combined art, technology, and mathematics to create a gigantic light sculpture. The pads are constructed as congruent circles arranged into concentric circles, but the sculpture only comes to life when people interact with it. Each pad is like a computer that people can stand on, run on, jump on, or dance on. There is not one central computer that controls the changing patterns of light and color. Instead, as people interact with the pads, the pads communicate with one another.

The inspiration for this highly technical sculpture came from nature. Lewin was exploring in a remote spot along Australia’s coast when she saw tide pools reflecting the moonlight. She was so overwhelmed by the experience that she wanted to share it with others. She had to wait for the technology to evolve that allowed her to share that sense of wonder with others in the format she wanted.

Lewin was sometimes frustrated as a student because she has always wanted to combine her love of nature, art, movement, science, technology, and mathematics. She did not see these as separate disciplines or separate subjects to study. As a successful artist in a dynamic new media, she is finally able to weave these interests together and share them as interactive public art. She delights in creating art that a toddler can activate. She hopes someday to make her art even more interactive so that participants can actually interact with the code.

Lewin feels that society is changing. More and more, people are connecting to information and connecting to one another. Her concept of public art is art that allows that connection to expand into the built environment. Her goal is to create art that allows people to collectively change public spaces.

2. What do you think you would do if you had the opportunity to interact with The Pool?

3. Do you think your experience would be different depending on who was with you? For example, if you were with a toddler, would that make the experience different than being with a friend? A grandparent?

4. Do you think music would change the experience?

5. Have you had an experience with interactive public art? Can you describe it?

6. Would you like more public art to be interactive? Why or why not? Do you think you would like to interact with public art in different ways? How?

7. Have you ever seen something that inspired you so deeply that you wanted to share that experience through art? What was that?

8. Have you ever felt frustrated by not being able to combine your different interests?

9. Have you ever found an outlet that let you combine different interests in a creative way? What was that?

10. How do you think technology and media arts will change in the next 10 years? In the next 20?